Hospital-Based Palliative Care and Hospice Services

Abstract

A s America ages and life spans increase in an era of medical miracles, the need for end-of-life care will grow proportionately. Demand for hospice services has risen even as our society debates its approach to death and the process of dying. It is not surprising, then, that the concept of palliative care is receiving greater recognition and acceptance from medical professionals, the patients who receive lifeprolonging treatments, and their families.The increasing demand for palliative care offers significant opportunity for hospice organizations to build hospice census, operating profits, hospital partnerships, and awareness about end-of-life care. Although there is no designated reimbursement for palliative care, growth in palliative care will affect growth in hospice average daily census and, hence, revenues to the program. When the average daily census for a hospice provider reaches breakeven, operating profits can reach the 10% percent range and rise with a growing census, according to a report by investment banking firm Shattuck Hammond Partners LLC (2004). While the focus of such reports has been on for-profit publicly traded hospices, some nonprofit providers are beginning to achieve similar results with a focus on quality patient care delivery and innovative end-of-life care programs. In addition, innovative providers have accessed reimbursement to cover palliative care services from Medicare Part B and private insurance companies.